U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey

What is JOLTS?

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) is conducted by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. The program
involves the monthly collection, processing, and dissemination of job
openings and labor turnover data. The data, collected from sampled establishments on a voluntary basis, include employment, job
openings, hires, quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations.

The number of unfilled jobs—used to calculate the job openings
rate—is an important measure of the unmet demand for labor. With that
statistic, it is possible to paint a more complete picture of the U.S.
labor market than by looking solely at the unemployment rate, a measure of
the excess supply of labor.

Information on labor turnover is valuable in the proper analysis and
interpretation of labor market developments and as a complement to the
unemployment rate.